Philadelphia 76ers: 5 things to watch for Christmas Day vs. Milwaukee Bucks

5. Simmons’ production

The question of Simmons’ place in the Sixers-Bucks matchup is an intriguing one. On defense, Simmons will get his crack at Giannis — not as the primary option, necessarily, but as one of several bodies Philadelphia throws his direction. On the other end, there’s a good chance Giannis is matched up on Simmons.

How Simmons produces with Giannis as his defender is a key point in this game. Simmons has historically struggled against comparably athletic players. Someone with Giannis’ size, strength, and athleticism is tailor-made to give Ben fits.

FanSided 250

Fansided250 Logo

Where does your fandom rank?

Sixers? Joel Embiid? And more.

Simmons will need to maintain aggressiveness and assert himself, ideally in the open court. His best bet to produce is on the fast break, where Giannis isn’t stationed directly in front of him. If Simmons can avoid uncomfortably dribbling into Giannis’ sea of arms with little to no plan, the Sixers are in a good place.

As for defense, Simmons is theoretically a good match for Giannis. He’s a 6-foot-10 tank who can slide his feet, touch the rim with his head, and anticipate moves as well as any 23-year-old on the planet. Past experience paints a less rosy story, however. Giannis is one of the few players who can plow through Simmons in the post. It’s just the nature of the Greek Freak.